Legal challenge claims ministers disregarded evidence of Rwanda’s human rights breaches

On 5 September 2022, a high court heard claims that UK ministers ignored evidence of human rights violations in Rwanda, including risks of torture, when pursuing their controversial asylum deportation plan. The UK government had earlier agreed to send asylum seekers to Rwanda under a “migration partnership,” but evidence showed that the East African country had violated human rights, prompting the challenge.

According to the court, Rwanda was initially excluded from the list of possible destinations by civil servants but was reinstated following political pressure. The UK government also added an extra £20m payment on top of the £120m already allocated for economic development to Rwanda, the court was informed.

As the number of refugees crossing the Channel in small boats reached new highs, legal representatives argued that the deportation policy was unlawful under both the Human Rights Act and common law. The asylum seekers’ legal team, including Raza Husain QC, emphasized that deporting individuals to Rwanda posed a significant risk of exposing them to torture and inhumane treatment.

The legal challenge comes as Liz Truss, the incoming UK prime minister, expressed her intention to uphold the policy despite the court proceedings.